Brickner, Bozak take Porter County seats

Rivas retained as council president, Jessen as the VP

A brief reorganizational meeting by the Porter County Council on Tuesday welcomed two new members and included an update by Auditor Vicki Urbanik on carryover balances and expenses from last year.

Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, was retained as president and Councilman Mike Jessen, R-4th, remains vice president.

Council members also welcomed new at large members Andy Bozak and Mike Brickner, both Republicans, selected by voters in the November general election.

Bozak previously served two years representing District 1 and Brickner is the county’s former emergency services director. Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, Dat large, was retained by voters in the election.

The new members both bring experience to the council, Rivas said.

“We have two members who will definitely add and I hope we get past this COVID soon,” Rivas said of the new coronavirus pandemic that started in March.

Earlier in the meeting, Rivas said 2020 was a challenge but the council got through it.

“We need to stay on the same path and communicate as much as we can,” he said.

The council also approved carrying over $494,000.51 in invoices and bills from last year into this year.

The encumbrances, Urbanik said, were appropriated for the 2020 budget but not spent by the end of last year and department heads asked they be carried over into this year’s budget.

About two years ago, state finance officials asked the council to begin reviewing the carryovers, she added.

“It’s a normal process,” Rivas said.

The county had a balance of about $6 million in the general fund that also carried over into this year, Urbanik said, though about $214,000 of that is already committed to the encumbrances from last year, about double the general f und encumbrances from a year ago. The remainder of the invoices from 2020 will come out of other funds.

“They could’ve spent it at the end of last year and we would have a reduced cash balance,” Urbanik said after the meeting.

Urbanik said the effect on the county’s cash balance will have an impact when the council prepares the 2022 budget.